I Remember This One Time
by GrnEydDvl
Summary: Kurosaki Karin and Matsumoto are kidnapped by Aizen. Ichigo and Hitsugaya Toushiro set out to rescue them. Can you fall in love with someone just by hearing stories about them? HitsuKarin
1. Mistake

**I promised myself and promised myself that I would never write an Aizen/Hueco Mundo fic because it will just get mauled by the Manga at some point, yet here I am, writing an Aizen fic. This idea came to me and it was just too good to waste, despite the fact that it depends on Aizen. I'm going to try really hard not to write about the Winter War because I really don't want to, but we'll see where the fic takes me. Anyway, enough of me, on to the story.**

**Note: This story starts sometime after episode 132, but before the war with Aizen. Obviously.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

Aizen was furious. Ok, so Aizen never really gets furious, but he was damn close to it. He stared down from his seat on his thrown at a very petrified Arrancar. His eyes were popping out of his head and he was shaking like mad. He glanced nervously over his shoulders, waiting for someone to come and deliver the death blow.

"I believe," Aizen began in his usual calm voice. But despite his tone, his eyes were on fire. "I believe I told you to bring me Kurosaki Ichigo and 10th squad's taicho." Aizen waved a hand at the two unconscious, bound and gagged figures lying in the corner.

"Does that look like you have fulfilled my request?" he asked coldly. The Arrancar struggled desperately to find his voice.

"How…how was I supposed to know it wasn't them?" he stuttered. Aizen smirked.

"First of all," he drawled, "the people I sent you to find are both men. Those two do not look like men to me."

"But, it was an honest mistake!" the Arrancar squeaked, wringing his hands together. Aizen chuckled.

"I understand." The Arrancar's face lit up with sudden hope.

"You…you do?" he asked, unable to believe his good fortune.

"Of course," Aizen continued with a bitter smile. "It is an honest mistake. Instead of Kurosaki Ichigo, you have brought me Kurosaki Karin. And in place of the 10th squad taicho, you have brought the fukutaicho. You were following your orders to the best of your knowledge. But," Aizen's smile changed to a grimace, "what I cannot forgive was you mishearing the orders in the first place."

"But…" the Arrancar cried, but he didn't have a chance to finish.

"Way of destruction number 31, shot of red fire," Aizen said lazily, and the Arrancar was gone in a flash of red light. Aizen sighed, then leaned on his arm, staring at the figures in the corner with interest.

"Perhaps I can find a use for them after all," he mused to himself.

ooooooooooooooooooo

Meanwhile, in Soul Society, Hitsugaya was looking for his fukutaicho. The overflowing pile of paperwork on her desk had reached desperate proportions, and he wasn't in the mood to do it for her. He also hadn't seen her in two days. Not that that was wholly surprising, since she usually spent her entire existence avoiding the office, but still, it was unusual for him to go so long without seeing her once. She usually had to decency to at least tell him she was skiving off work. He wasn't particularly worried, but he was curious about where she disappeared to.

He started with Kira, thinking that she might be wasting her time being, well wasted with her old drinking buddy. He knocked on the door to the 3rd squad office.

"Come in!" Kira called. Kira was up to his elbows in work, having to act as a taicho in Gin's stead. Rumor said he also wasn't sleeping very well, his guilt about helping Aizen escape and, what's more, allowing Hinamori to be injured ate away at him, but he was putting up a brave façade nonetheless.

"Ah, Hitsugaya taicho!" Kira said with a smile, and Hitsugaya could see the bags under his eyes. "What brings you here?"

"Have you seen Matsumoto?" Hitsugaya asked. "I can't seem to find her." Kira shook his head.

"Sorry, Hitsugaya taicho, but I haven't seen Rangiku-san in a while. I've been so busy with running the squad, I haven't had much time to get out."

"I see," Hitsugaya said, in a tone that was a lot less sympathetic then it could have been. Hitsugaya hadn't entirely forgiven Kira for what happened. "Thank you."

"You might want to check 11th squad!" Kira called as Hitsugaya slid the door shut. "She likes hiding out with Yumichka when she doesn't want to work." Hitsugaya scowled. He knew Matsumoto's hiding places better than anyone else, having painstakingly sought them out over the past god-knows how many years.

He ignored the sounds of immense pain coming from the 11th squad dojo and went to find Yumichka. He and Ikkaku were sprawled on the porch. Ikkaku was drinking sake and making rude comments at terrified looking rookies, and Yumichka was fixing his hair.

"You know, I could report you for this," Hitsugaya said, causing both of them to jump. "I know perfectly well that you have better things to do with your time.

"Naw, Zaraki taicho doesn't care what we do," Ikkaku said with a smile. "I pity your poor squad members, Hitsugaya taicho, you must work them to death!"

"Oi!" Hitsugaya growled warningly. Ikkaku waved him off.

"Ah, lighten up Hitsugaya taicho."

"Would you like something, Hitsugaya taicho?" Yumichka asked politely. Hitsugaya sighed.

"Have either of you seen Matsumoto?" he asked. They shook their heads.

"Nope, haven't seen her in two days or so." Yumichka replied. "It's so unbeautiful of her to disappear like this, she even missed our hair appointment yesterday."

"Two days is hardly disappearing…wait what!?" Hitsugaya asked, stunned. "Matsumoto missed a hair appointment?" That was weird. He couldn't remember that ever happening before.

"Yes, second Tuesday of every month," Yumichka continued. "It's tradition! We always go together." Ok, now this was getting worrisome. As strange as it was that Matsumoto had missed a hair appointment, it was even stranger to hear that she had stood up Yumichka. Matsumoto simply didn't do that to her friends. What on earth was she doing that was more important? He couldn't even imagine.

But now, he was honestly starting to get slightly concerned. He left 11th squad and scoured Soul Society, searching in all her favorite hiding spots, places to drink, even the shopping district. But the last time anyone could remember seeing her was two days ago. Hitsugaya wracked his brain as he tried to think of some place where she might have run off to.

ooooooooooooooooooo

"Where is Karin?" insisted a rather impatient Isshin. "She is perfectly aware that dinner in this house starts at 7:00!" Ichigo looked at the clock and rolled his eyes. It was 7:08.

"I'm sure she just lost track of time," he said in exasperation as Isshin went on a rant about his children growing up and forgetting all about him. Ichigo did his best to ignore him and turned to Yuzu, hoping to share an amused look about their father's antics. Unfortunately, he was met with tears.

"Onii-chan," Yuzu said, quietly so that Isshin couldn't hear. "I think otousan is right. Karin-chan has never been late for dinner. Ever." She had a point, but come on, she was only eight minutes late. Ok, nine, but who's counting.

"She's fine," Ichigo insisted. Yuzu shook her head.

"I don't think so, Ichi-nii." Ichigo struggled to hide his annoyance.

"Alright, alright, I'll go find her. Happy?" Yuzu beamed at him.

"Thank you, Ichi-nii!" Ichigo grunted in response.

"Oh, sibling love, it's such a wonderful thing!" Isshin cried, to which he received a punch in the face from Ichigo.

"I'll be back soon," he called, tossing his jacket over his shoulder.

"Damn it, this is ridiculous," he complained as he headed towards the soccer field. It was the only place he could think of. "Karin's more than capable of taking care of herself." He reached the field and saw a group of her friends huddled together, talking in hurried whispers. Why they were whispering was unclear, but Ichigo was just glad to find them. Karin was sure to be among them. Boy was he going to make her regret making Yuzu worry. As he approached, he heard snippets of their conversation.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know! I mean, she just _disappeared?_"

"Who disappeared?" Ichigo asked, causing the speaker to nearly jump out of his skin.

"Ichi…Ichi-nii!" he gasped. He looked desperately at his friends for help, but no one intervened. Ichigo noticed that Karin was not among them. "Well, you see, Kurosaki, ah…"

"What happened to Karin?" Ichigo insisted, his face darkening. The boy gulped. Another bravely stepped forward.

"Well, Ichi-nii, we were playing soccer and all of a sudden, Kurosaki started acting really weird. She stopped moving, yelled at us to run, then started having a conversation with herself. Something about getting the hell out of here before you showed up and that she wasn't going anywhere. Then she got really scary and started screaming and kicking at the air, and then she just…disappeared. Like really went poof. I…we don't really know where she went…oi Ichi-nii!" he called after Ichigo who was already running in the direction of Urahara's shop.

"Crap, they've got Karin!" he said to himself. The boys may have had no idea what happened, but Ichigo understood immediately. Karin could see hollows, he knew that, and what was just described to him was definitely a kidnapping. Karin was in Hueco Mundo and Ichigo had to go rescue her.

"Why the heck would Aizen want her?" he wondered as he raced through the streets, bowling over several people and not bothering to apologize.

He raced into the shop, ignoring Ururu's cry of surprise at his sudden entrance, and ran straight up to Urahara.

"Urahara-san!" he shouted angrily. "My sister Karin's…"

"Been taken to Hueco Mondo," Urahara finished for him. Ichigo's jaw fell open in shock.

"You knew? How did you know already?" Urahara smiled

"I've been keeping a very close eye on the goings on in Hueco Mondo for some time now. I've devised a nice little machine that helps me detect reiatsu patterns there, and I noticed your sister's appear about an hour ago. Unfortunately, Soul Society doesn't seem particularly interested in my machine, still too angry at me I suppose…"

"This is not the time for that!" Ichigo interrupted impatiently. "I've got to get to Hueco Mondo. Now." Urahara smiled.

"Patience, Kurosaki-kun. You can't barge into Hueco Mondo in your current state. Besides, we're waiting for someone else who will undoubtedly help you." Ichigo was affronted by the insult, but he ignored it.

"Who…?" he began, but before he could finish, a senkai gate opened next to them and a hell butterfly flew out, followed by a rather angry looking Hitsugaya.

"Toushiro!" Ichigo said startled. Hitsugaya turned to Ichigo with a death stare.

"That's Hitsugaya taicho," he insisted. Then, turning to Urahara, he continued. "Urahara, has Matsumoto been through here? I can't seem to find her anywhere and I was thinking that she might have taken refuge in the human world for some reason or another."

"Rangiku-san too?" Ichigo asked. Hitsugaya looked to him.

"What do you mean 'too' Kurosaki?" he asked. Urahara looked at them both seriously.

"According to my information," he began, "Matsumoto Rangiku and Kurosaki Karin have both been kidnapped by the Arrancar and taken to Los Noches." Hitsugaya's eyes widened in surprise. 

"We're going after them! Right Toushiro?" Ichigo asked frantically.

"Ah," Hitsugaya agreed, ignoring the informality. Matsumoto was kidnapped. How? Why? He couldn't believe it. As much as she annoyed him, Hitsugaya had a soft spot for his fukutaicho. She was his partner, on the battlefield and off it. He would do anything to protect her. 

"Before you just barge into Huecdo Mondo," Urahara added, "I want you to think carefully. I can't imagine why Aizen would want Karin and Matsumoto specifically, but it may be to draw the two of you out. This must be a stealth mission. You must hide your reiatsu entirely." Hitsugaya and Ichigo nodded. Then they heard laughter and turned to see Jinta clutching his sides.

"Kurosaki, hiding his reitasu?" he snorted between fits of laughter. "That's about as likely as Kon swearing off women." Ichigo growled, but Urahara smiled softly.

"Indeed, Kurosaki, you will need some training before you can go." Ichigo's face was scrunched up in frustration and irritation, but he nodded anyway. Hitsugaya however, was none too pleased.

"Well, while Kurosaki is here learning the basics, I'm going to find my fukutaicho." Urahara ignored Ichigo's protests and looked at Hitsugaya seriously.

"Hitsugaya taicho, you know as well as I do that going into Hueco Mondo on your own without backup is as good as suicide. You need Kurosaki's help, just as he needs yours. Give me three days to train him. You are welcome to stay here and help as well. That may speed up the process." Hitsugaya sighed. He knew Urahara was right, but the thought of sitting around doing nothing while Matsumoto was trapped in a jail cell in Hueco Mondo was not appealing.

"Fine," he acquiesced. "Three days."

**Next chapter I'll get more into the real story now that I've set it up. Please review and let me know if you think this is a good idea at all. Thanks.**


	2. Hitsugaya's Beginnings

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I'm so happy people are actually reading this, I don't think it's my best work. Oh, and no, this will not be an IchigoxMatsumoto fic, I don't really see that pairing at all.**

"Oi, shinigami!" Karin said impatiently, tapping Matsumoto gently with her foot. "Shinigami, when are you going to wake up?" Suddenly, Matsumoto opened her eyes. Instinctively, she bolted upright, hand going to the sword hilt at her side. Which, she realized with a jolt, wasn't there.

"Hey, are you going to kill me?" Karin asked sarcastically, a grin growing on her face. Matsumoto blinked and looked up at Karin.

"You're…Ichigo's sister," she marveled briefly. "What are you doing here?" Karin huffed and crossed her arms.

"That's what I'd like to know," she spat. "I was hoping you could tell me." Matsumoto glanced around at their surroundings. They were in a damp jail cell. Matsumoto had been lying on a pile of straw that smelled like the mold that was visible on the floors and walls. In fact, the whole room reeked of it. The only light in the room came from a small window up near the ceiling where the moon was bravely attempting to send beams of light down into the otherwise pitch black dungeon. She touched the wall and could feel the powerful barrier. There was more keeping them in than stone, Matsumoto realized. The kido barrier suppressed their reiatsu entirely, and even if it didn't, it was twice as powerful as her normal reiatsu level. They were trapped, utterly and completely.

"We're in Hueco Mondo," she said quietly, both to herself and to Karin.

"Huh?" Karin insisted. "What's Hueco Mondo, shinigami?" Matsumoto looked at her curiously.

"Kurosaki, how do you know that I'm a shinigami if you don't know what Hueco Mondo is? Oh, and why are you acting like you've never met me before. I'm Matsumoto Rangiku, remember?" The name triggered something in Karin's memory. Then her face lit up.

"Toushiro!" she exclaimed. "You're Toushiro's fukutaicho, whatever that means. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you, it's really dark in here. Oh, and please call me Karin." Matsumoto grinned.

"I can't believe taicho lets you get away with calling him by his first name. If anyone else did that, they'd be encased in ice in about two seconds. He's very sensitive about formalities. He's got an inferiority complex about his height." Karin snickered.

"Yeah, I've never seen someone try so hard to convince me that he wasn't an elementary student. Who's he trying to fool anyway?" Matsumoto took a minute to absorb this, then broke down in laughter. She rolled back and forth on her mat of straw.

"Don't tell me you still think taicho is an elementary student? Oh, he'd have an absolute panic attack if he heard that!" Karin was starting to get annoyed now.

"So, what is he?" Matsumoto calmed down a bit.

"Ok, I guess you deserve to know. We've got nothing better to do anyway." And with that, she launched into an explanation of shinigami, Soul Society, Hollow, and the war with Aizen. Karin tried carefully to digest it all, but there was just so much information.

"I wish Ichi-nii would have told me all this," Karin said bitterly when Matsumoto finished.

"He was probably trying to protect you," Matsumoto replied. Karin rolled her eyes.

"Oh, yeah, a lot of good that did me," she said, waving her arm at the mold covered walls. Matsumoto giggled.

"So how did you end up here?" Karin asked, picking at a piece of straw. She was starting to like Matsumoto, even if she seemed rather unperturbed by her present situation.

"I was trying to protect my subordinate," she said with a sigh. "A call came in that a low ranked shinigami from my squad was fighting a Gillian. Taicho was at a captain's meeting, so I went to the human world to fight the Gillian. My subordinate was already dead by the time I got there, so I took my rage out on that piece of crap. But before I could finish it, someone or something snuck up behind me and knocked me out. He must have been hiding his reiatsu because I didn't sense him, but I assume it was one of Aizen's Arrancar." Matsumoto shook her head and chuckled.

"Anyway," she continued, "you have nothing to worry about. Ichigo and my taicho will be here soon to rescue us. Assuming my taicho doesn't kill me the minute he sees me for being so careless."

"Really?" Karin asked hopefully. "I mean, about the rescuing part, not the killing you on sight part." Matsumoto laughed, then nodded.

"Your brother invaded Soul Society to save Kuchiki Rukia. I'm sure he'll come here the second he realizes where you are. And so will my taicho." Matsumoto smiled gently. "He may yell a lot and get frustrated easily, but he'll go to the ends of the earth 

to protect someone he cares about. I heard about this one time, his best childhood friend, Hinamori, was in a rather tough spot. She had just graduated from the Shinigami Academy and was heading home to Rukongai to tell taicho the good news. Unfortunately, she was accosted by about five guys. She's pretty cute, and I think the shinigami uniform was really appealing to the ruffians. They wanted her for, well, you know what men want cute girls for. They had her in an alley, and somehow, I still haven't quite figured out how, my taicho knew something was wrong and went to find her. She wasn't in the best state when he found her, but he wasn't too late. Never mind that it was one against five, never mind that he was just some Rukongai brat against several well seasoned fighters, he took them all on and won! Just like that. I think it was his first fight ever, but he knocked them all out cold. Not that he came out unscathed. He was cut and bleeding, but ignored all his wounds to make sure Hinamori was ok. She was in better shape than he was at the time, so she supported him home. I can just imagine the fight that went on that night, taicho saying that Hinamori should be more careful, Hinamori saying she was a shinigami and he shouldn't be worried about her. Well, anyway, taicho signed up for the Shinigami Academy the next day." Matsumoto giggled.

"I don't think he knows that I know that story, he'd probably be really embarrassed, but that was his illustrious beginning. Hinamori told it to me ages ago." Karin considered this story.

"So you think he'll come and rescue you now just like he did his childhood friend?" Matsumoto shook her head.

"No, I _know_ he'll come and rescue me. Us. He'll want to save you too," she added slyly. "He's intrigued by you." She burst out laughing at the look on Karin's face.

"What, don't tell me you didn't notice? He wouldn't play soccer like that for just anyone. Anyway, there's no way he'll leave me here to rot. We fight a lot, sure. He likes doing paperwork, I don't. He likes training, I don't. He's very serious and focused, I'm not. But we get along despite it all. Even if he'll never admit it, we care a lot about each other. I can tell by the way he fights. He'll always protect me, try to take the heat off me, intercept the most powerful attacks. And he trusts me. He knows he can rely on me when he has to, and that boy doesn't trust easily. He's been hurt too badly in the past to trust just anyone."

"How's he been hurt?" Karin asked. She felt slightly guilty, prying into the past of someone she didn't know very well, but, to be honest, Hitsugaya intrigued her too. He was different from anyone else she had ever met and she was oddly curious about him. Plus, it was something to talk about, to pass the time and try to ignore their current situation (and the horrific smell of the mold). 

"He was abandoned," Matsumoto said sadly. "By his taicho. I was 8th squad's 3rd seat at the time, and he was fukutaicho of 10th squad. He worshiped his taicho. The man had believed in him even though he was so young. He made him his fukutaicho directly out of the Academy, barring everyone's protests. His taicho trained with him as often as he could. That training is the reason he achieved bankai at such a young age. They were the ideal team, everyone in Soul Society wanted to emulate them. As a 3rd seat, I was privy to more information about taichos than most people, and I knew that the 10th squad was admired. Then he disappeared. I still don't know why, the information was kept top secret, but the 10th squad taicho simply up and vanished one day. It nearly broke my taicho, but I think I'm really the only one who knows just how much it affected him. He doesn't show emotion easily, my taicho. He became taicho of 10th squad immediately, and I was selected as his fukutaicho, which is why I was there to see the effect of the abandonment on him. He was brave and strong though. Considering he had just been made a taicho, he ran the squad better than some who had been taichos for significantly longer. He pushed though the whole thing remarkably well, almost as if nothing had happened. It was only years later, once I got to know him better, that I realized what an impact it had had. I didn't even notice at the time. I remember that he spent a lot of time alone, staring at the sky. Now I know that he only does that when he's particularly bothered by something or dealing with something really difficult, but at the time it was his only display of weakness." Matsumoto sighed, then shook her head.

"But he doesn't dwell on it anymore, so I don't either. He's grown a lot since then."

"He's had a really tough time," Karin commented, looking at her feet. "He's been through so much."

"Naw, not really," Matsumoto said with a smile. "When you live as long as we do, those things are nothing. He's actually had a pretty good life. I mean come on, he's a taicho! At his age! He's had plenty of good fortune." Matsumoto sighed.

"Damn, all that talking is making me thirsty. And hungry. Do you think we ever get anything to eat around here?" As if on cue, a cat-flap slid open and two bowls of soup were pushed in.

"Wait, you, I've got some questions to ask you!" Karin cried after the retreating hand. But there was no response. Karin swore under her breath, but Matsumoto was more interested in the food.

"Don't even bother, Karin-chan, you'll never get anything out of them that way." She looked down into the bowl and made a face.

"Ew, this looks worse than that sludge 4th squad dregs up from the sewers." But she held her nose and swallowed it anyway. Karin looked into her own bowl and decided that her stomach contents were much happier without the brown and green goo.

"I hope Ichi-nii and Toushiro get here soon," she said to herself, as Matsumoto started retching in the corner.

**I apologize for the weird extra spaces that appears randomly, its where there is a page break in my word document. I've never had this happen before, but if anyone knows how to fix it, please let me know. Thanks. **


	3. A Complicated Girl

"You're not trying hard enough, Kurosaki-kun," Urahara reprimanded.

"Shut up!" Ichigo screamed in frustration. "I'm doing the best I can." They were in the basement of Urahara's shop, and Ichigo was trying futilely to suppress his reiatsu.

"It's all about creating a barrier," Urahara explained for the hundredth time. "Focus your reiatsu into a sphere around yourself, compressing all your energy inside. It's very simple." Ichigo growled.

"Why don't you just beat it into me like you do everything else!?" Ichigo cried.

"Oh-ho, but Kurosaki-kun," Urahara said joyfully, waving a white fan in his face, "kido is not something that can be beaten into you. It must be achieved through self control. Now concentrate!" Ichigo scrunched up his face into the most painful expression of concentration Urahara had ever seen.

Hitsugaya was watching the disaster from the sidelines. He sighed in impatience. If Ichigo was so stressed out, he would never be able to mask his overflowing reiatsu. Kido required a calm, focused mind, something Ichigo was definitely incapable of achieving.

Not that Hitsugaya wasn't stressed himself, he was just particularly skilled at hiding it. He was worried about Matsumoto, but he also found, to his surprise, that he was unusually concerned about Ichigo's sister. He had only met her a few times and he didn't know her particularly well, but he was thinking more about her welfare than Matsumoto's. Matsumoto was a fukutaicho after all, she could take care of herself for a while, but a little human girl? How long would she last? Hitsugaya couldn't deny that he had taken an interest in the mysterious Karin. She had an aura about her that was different from anyone he knew, and he sincerely hoped that she would survive her stint in Hueco Mondo.

Ururu came up beside him to watch Ichigo struggle. As if in response to his thoughts, she whispered softly,

"I know that Karin-chan will be alright. She's really strong." Although Hitsugaya knew that she was trying to comfort herself rather than him, he couldn't help but comment.

"Is she really strong enough to survive three days in Los Noches? I didn't think she could fight." He didn't want to frighten Ururu, but he was curious to hear why she was so confident in Karin's survival. Ururu nodded.

"She may not be a shinigami, but she's capable of killing hollows just by kicking a soccer ball at them. But even though she might not be able to stand up to an Arrancar in a battle, it doesn't matter. It's her will that's strong. Her resolve is iron cast. If she puts her mind to something, she'll do it no matter what. If she vows to survive, then she'll survive. She's my role model. I wish I could be half as brave and confident as she is." Hitsugaya felt slightly awkward. People didn't usually open up to him, why 

would they, and he didn't think he could comfort this girl. But, she wasn't really looking for comfort. Instead, she was looking at Ichigo.

"Kurosaki-kun will protect Karin-chan. I know he will. Everyone from that family protects each other. I remember this one time, Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan, and I went out to lunch together. A hollow landed on the street right outside the ramen shop we were in. He started swinging his arms and knocking down buildings. Karin-chan jumped on top of Yuzu-chan to protect her, even though she got covered in glass and cement. Everyone around us started running, but she stood her ground. She told me to take Yuzu and run, whipped a soccer ball out of her bag, and kicked it as hard as she could at the hollow. His mask split in two and he was gone, just like that. I know it's not the only time she's risked her neck to help her family or friends either." Hitsugaya nodded, remembering how Karin had refused to run when she and her friends were attacked by a menos after their soccer game.

"Maybe she'll be alright after all," he though aloud.

"You're damn right she'll be ok!" Jinta said haughtily, sauntering up behind them.

"Jinta-kun!" Ururu exclaimed. Then she started crying as he grabbed her bangs and yanked them hard above her head.

"Oi," Hitsugaya yelled, but Jinta ignored him.

"What are you getting all sulky for?" he demanded. "Karin's going to get out of there just fine! I wouldn't be surprised if she gets back on her own before that idiot learns to control his ridiculous reiatsu. Well, I hope she does, 'cause it's going to take Ichigo three years to do that, not three days!" He let go of Ururu, who grabbed her head.

"I'm not worried about her, Jinta-kun!" Ururu insisted.

"Hah!" he laughed derisively. "Of course you are, why else are you reassuring yourself that she'll be ok! Don't worry, she'll be fine! You know she will!" Hitsugaya couldn't quite wrap his head around this circular logic, but chose not to pursue it. Instead, he decided to ask about the more pressing issue at hand.

"What makes you so sure about that?" he asked angrily. He didn't think he liked Jinta all that much.

"Huh?" he asked, glaring at Hitsugaya, completely un-intimidated. "That tomboy is as rough as they come! Honestly, I think she'd be happier if she had been born a man. She's got such a sharp attitude and she's not afraid anything. There's no one, not even Aizen, who can hold her glare for more than a few minutes, it's like the gates of hell staring at you. She doesn't put up with nonsense, that Karin. Trust me, if they try anything funny on her, they're going to be begging for mercy really quick!"

"Jinta-kun, don't be bitter just because you have experience with this," Ururu giggled. Jinta's face flushed as red as his hair.

"Shut up!" he yelled, a note of embarrassment in his voice. "She only beat the crap out of me that one time because I was too gentlemanly to hit a girl. If she had really been a guy, she would have had two black eyes and a broken arm!"

"And why was she beating the crap out of you?" Hitsugaya asked, slightly amused. Jinta huffed and crossed his arms.

"Because I brought Yuzu home late from our date and Ichigo wasn't there to do it for her. She's too protective," he grumbled. Ururu giggled again and whispered to Hitsugaya,

"Jinta-kun really respects Karin-chan for her fighting skills and no-nonsense attitude. He just doesn't like admitting it." Jinta responded by yanking on her bangs again.

Hitsugaya turned away from their scuffle to watch Ichigo, who was sweating bullets in his attempt to relax, and let out a sigh of relief he didn't know he had been holding in. He hadn't quite realized how worried he had been about Karin, and he wasn't exactly over his concern. But if what Jinta and Ururu said was true, Karin was a much stronger individual than he had thought. He was starting to feel that she would be ok, at least until they got there to rescue her and Matsumoto.

Suddenly, behind him, he felt an unusually strong desire to kill. He turned around to see Tessai towering over Jinta, a murderous gleam in his eyes. Jinta was cowering in fear.

"Jinta-dono!" Tessai boomed. "Do not injure Ururu-dono that way! And do not speak of sweet little Karin-dono as if she is a wild animal!" Jinta paused in being scared out of his wits to stare at Tessai open mouthed.

"Sweet little?" he asked before he could stop himself. Tessai seemed to calm a bit as he fell into his memory.

"Of course!" he said brightly. "She's always so thoughtful, complimenting my cooking and bringing me treats every week! Remember that one time she brought over a whole cake!"

"Oi, those treats are for all of us!" Jinta grumbled. "Not just you." Tessai looked at him knowingly.

"Ah, but I know they are for me!" he said proudly. "She tells me that they are to thank me for being so kind to her, Ichigo-dono, and Yuzu-dono!"

"She says that to all of us," Jinta whispered under his breath. Ururu giggled.

"You just don't want to see the good side of Karin-chan," she said happily. "There's more too her than her rough and tough personality and if you were sensitive at all you'd understand that…ow!" she cried as Jinta pulled on her bangs for a third time. He was stopped rather abruptly however by Tessai, who drop kicked him all the way upstairs creating a rather large hole in the basement ceiling.

Hitsugaya looked back at Ichigo, who was now in a straight jacket, and smiled inwardly. This Karin person was turning into a much more interesting individual than he had thought.

**Sorry for the short chapter, but the next one is an entirely different mood and I didn't want to merge them because I think it would detract from both of them.**


	4. Pain in Every Sense

**Dark chapter. Really dark chapter. Just a warning in advance.**

Karin awoke the next morning to the sound of keys. Keys! She sat bolt upright, and stared at the door. Were Ichi-nii and Toushiro here already?! Matsumoto stirred beside her and opened her eyes just as the door swung open to reveal someone with teal green eyes staring back at them. But it wasn't Hitsugaya.

"The two of you, come with me," Uloquiorra said casually, releasing chains from his hands that proceeded to wrap tightly around Matsumoto and Karin. Karin growled.

"We're not going anywhere!" she barked, her eyes flashing dangerously. Matsumoto simply looked at her bound hands. She knew it was futile to resist.

"Watch your mouth, brat, or I will have to bind that too," Uloquiorra replied, entirely unfazed. Karin screamed and shouted for several more minutes, until Matsumoto kneed her gently (it was the only body part she could move properly.)

"Trust me, it'll all go much more smoothly if we comply." Karin glared at her, but she finally shut up. Uloquiorra held one end of the chains that bound them and led them out of the dungeon and through the maze of halls. Despite her situation, Karin couldn't help appreciate the reprieve from the stench, which had become a mixture of mold, vomit, and Karin's untouched soup, which smelled little better than the vomit.

They ended up in a brightly lit room and there was no doubt in anyone's mind what its purpose was. There was a flat table in the center with a large machine behind it. The machine was buzzing and flashing and had several probes sticking out the side. Karin glanced at Matsumoto, but her head was held high. She was a fukutaicho. She would take anything they could bring with honor. Karin felt slightly reassured.

The door opened again to reveal a tall man with wavy brown hair and a smile that didn't quite seem to match the evil gleam in his eyes. Matsumoto stiffened and her face showed pure loathing.

"Aizen," she whispered spitefully, and Karin fully understood the implications of that statement. For the first time since being kidnapped, she felt slightly afraid, but she did her best not to let it show.

"Welcome, Matsumoto fukutaicho, Kurosaki Karin, to Los Noches." Aizen's smile widened and his eyes seem to glow with vindictive pleasure.

"What do you want with us Aizen?" Matsumoto spat. Aizen chuckled. He snapped his fingers and Matsumoto was hoisted into the air by invisible strings and laid flat on her back on the ominous looking table. Another snap and there were probes from the machine embedded in the chains that still held Matsumoto's body tightly in place. Karin did her best to look brave, but she couldn't help but shut her eyes as the machine burst into life, sending Matsumoto into spasms.

After a few moments, Aizen stopped the machine. Matsumoto panted softly. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead.

"Now, I'm only going to ask you this once, Matsumoto fukutaicho," Aizen said with a smirk. "What are the state of preparations against me in both Soul Society and Karakura Town?"

"I don't…" Matsumoto began, but the machine started up again and this time, Matsumoto couldn't help but scream. Aizen let it run a bit longer this time before stopping. Matsumoto's eyes seemed too large for her head and her face was deathly pale. It was taking all of Karin's willpower not to cry out too.

"I cannot accept you lying to me, Matsumoto fukutaicho," Aizen said jovially. It made Karin sick to her stomach to hear his tone of voice, and she was almost grateful that she hadn't eaten anything in a while.

"You are a fukutaicho," Aizen continued. "I was a taicho myself once, I am perfectly aware that the fukutaichos play an important role in battle preparations." He flashed his awful smile again. "Now, are you going to tell me?" Matsumoto shook her head.

"Very well," Aizen said and started the machine again. Karin couldn't bear to hear Matsumoto's screams. They cut though her like knives, piercing her soul. If she had known any trifle of the information Aizen wanted, she surely would have spilled the beans.

After a while, Aizen paused the machine. Matsumoto stopped screaming, but still she did not speak. Aizen frowned at her, then snapped his fingers and Matsumoto flew off the table and was stood up next to Karin. Unable to support herself, she toppled over and crashed to the floor.

"Rangiku-san!" Karin cried, but she was unable to do anything about it. She didn't even think about what would happen next until she heard the snap and felt herself being lifted off the ground and strapped to the table.

Uloquiorra approached Matsumoto and rolled her over so that she was facing the table; and Karin. Their eyes met. Matsumoto's eyes were filled with pain and fear. Karin tried to rid hers of her true emotions and show pride and strength.

"Since Matsumoto fukutaicho doesn't seem to be responding to her own pain," Aizen said in a satisfied voice, "perhaps she will react to the pain of another."

"Rangiku-san," Karin said seriously. She was trying to brace herself for what was to come, but there were some things that were important than pain. "No matter what happens, don't say anything. I can handle it." Matsumoto didn't reply, she was too worn out and full of apprehension and fear. Karin took a deep breath as the machine whirred into life.

It was worse than anything she could have imagined. The probes sent white hot fire surging through her body, boiling her blood and shattering her bones. She had never been in more pain in her life. But Kurosaki Karin does not cry. She does not show her pain. She had trained for years for this moment. She bit her lip hard, forcing 

herself not to scream and tasted blood, but she did not give up. She would not scream. She would not give Aizen that satisfaction. But more importantly, if she screamed, she knew Matsumoto's resolve would never hold and she would tell Aizen everything. Karin wouldn't let that happen. She would not be responsible for the downfall of Soul Society and Karakura. No matter what happened, she would not scream.

ooooooooooooooooooo

Karin didn't remember fainting on the table. She didn't remember how she wound up back in her cell (she had, after all, been unconscious), and she didn't remember the threatening words that were spoken to Matsumoto before they were locked, once again, in their prison. When she woke up, Matsumoto was leaning over her, gently massaging her arms.

"What are you doing?" Karin asked confused. Her body was still in pain and she didn't think she could move.

"Massage helps relieve the pain a little," Matsumoto replied, looking at her with a weak smile. "Sorry, but I can't use kido in this barrier, so this is the best I can do." Karin pulled her arm away, only to discover a second too late that the movement was not worth the effort.

"You were tortured too!" Karin insisted. "You should be resting." Matsumoto shook her head.

"Aizen tortured you for a lot longer than me, the sadist. But don't worry, I didn't tell him anything." Karin managed a smile.

"Good," she said softly, leaning her head back and closing her eyes, allowing Matsumoto to resume her massage. At least her suffering hadn't been in vain.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of keys scraping against the door. Karin shot up, then winced in pain.

"Not again!" she thought to herself. A man she didn't recognize opened the door, but to Karin's surprise, he proceeded to close it behind him, locking himself into the cell. Matsumoto's eyes darkened and she stood to face the man.

"Woo-wee it stinks it here! I should ask Aizen fer some better accommodations fer y'all."

"What the hell do you want, Gin?" Matsumoto asked, her voice laced with hatred and malice. The name was familiar to Karin. Gin, if she remembered correctly, was one of the taichos who had left with Aizen. But the way Matsumoto was looking at him was different from the way she had looked at Aizen; like Gin had hurt her even more deeply than Aizen just had.

"Ran-chan, where didja learn such language? It's not fittin' to yer position," Gin said with a smirk.

"I learned it from you, if you remember!" Matsumoto spat. "And you have no right to call me Ran-chan anymore, you traitor."

"Aw, don't be like that, Ran-chan," Gin pleaded. "We've always been friends ain't we?" Matsumoto held her head up high.

"Our friendship ended the second you pointed your sword at Hinamori." Gin's grimace grew wider.

"Ah, so I see. And here I thought ya' still loved me. But instead yer in love with yer little taicho, how cute!" Matsumoto's face turned red, but from anger, not embarrassment.

"Taicho is ten times the man you'll ever be!" she yelled furiously. "He's brave and honest. He tells the truth. He wouldn't just sing someone's praises and then leave them in the dirt. If he told someone he loved them, he would mean it. He looks out for his friends, cares about his subordinates, and fights for what he believes in. He doesn't _use_ people, Gin. He doesn't use me. He respects me, which is more than I can say for you. You're just a coward and a fool." Gin's smirk left his face, but it didn't leave his eyes.

"Ya' know I've always loved ya' Ran-chan. I still do." And before she could retort, he leaned in and captured her lips in his own.

The sound of Matsumoto's slap reverberated across the cell walls. Gin didn't seem to mind. It was like he was expecting it.

"Just remember yer current position, _Matsumoto fukutaicho_," he said, emphasizing her title. Then he turned on his heel and sauntered to the door. He paused when he reached it and turned to look over his shoulder.

"If y'all want some salve fer yer wounds, I've got some," he said. Karin couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but Matsumoto didn't seem to care.

"Get out," she threatened. Gin smirked, then slammed the door, leaving a steaming Matsumoto behind.

They heard his footsteps recede down the hall. Matsumoto made sure he was gone for good before collapsing on the floor and bursting into tears. Karin forced her stiff body to move. She went over to Matsumoto and placed her arm around her. Matsumoto fell into her shoulder and cried her heart out. After a while, her sobs lessened, and she started to speak.

"I guess you deserve an explanation Karin-chan," she said, but Karin shook her head.

"No," she said gently. "It's your past and your pain. If you want to tell me about it that's fine, but don't force yourself. I understand well enough." Matsumoto hiccoughed.

"Thank you," she whispered and Karin smiled. Then, hoping it would cheer her up, Karin teased,

"So, are you really in love with Toushiro?" Matsumoto actually chuckled.

"Of course not, but what I said about him was true. Taicho's been there for me through this whole thing, Gin's betrayal and all. He's been very understanding. Even though he's dealing with his own pain and guilt at Hinamori's injuries, he still found ways to comfort me. I'm really grateful to him." For some reason, this made Karin feel a lot better.

"Was I worried that she actually was in love with him?" she thought to herself, then wondered why it was that she was so relieved at Matsumoto's response.

"Karin-chan," Matsumoto said quietly, breaking Karin's train of confusing thoughts. "Promise me that when you fall in love, it's with someone really special. Don't be like me, falling for a fool who doesn't know what he really wants and who lies through his teeth. Be like my taicho, steady and faithful and honest. Find someone who won't hurt you." Matsumoto shook her head, then mumbled, almost inaudibly,

"Someone like my taicho."

**Sorry for the depressingness, but this chapter will actually be really important later so it had to be here.**


	5. A Similar Story

**Again, sorry about how dark last chapter was, but as I said, it's important. And now for a return to normalsy (if I can ever consider myself normal). Oh, and if anybody has any ideas about how to get rid of those really annoying spaces between my pages, please let me know. They are bothering me as much as you.**

Hitsugaya was growing impatient. Really impatient. Ichigo was hopeless. Hitsugaya wondered vaguely how someone who was so totally inept at controlling his reiatsu managed to become so strong. He also realized that Ichigo's training was going nowhere. At this rate, Hitsugaya was going to make the foolish decision to tromp off to Hueco Mondo on his own. But he decided to give Ichigo one last chance.

"Urahara," Hitsugaya said seriously, coming up to him. "May I take over Kurosaki's training for today?" Ichigo was panting as if he had just run a marathon. Clearly, not relaxed. Urahara smiled at Hitsugaya.

"He's all yours, Hitsugaya taicho!" he said, bowing respectfully and excusing himself.

"So Toushiro, what are you going to do that's all that different?" Ichigo asked while catching his breath. Hitsugaya twitched.

"That's Hitsugaya taicho!" he spat angrily. "And, because you clearly have forgotten, I am a taicho. I know plenty of training techniques." Hitsugaya sat down.

"Sit with me, Kurosaki!" he demanded. "We're going to meditate." Ichigo looked at Hitsugaya like he had just grown a second head.

"Huh?! Meditate?! I can't do…ow!" Ichigo yelped, as Hitsugaya knocked Ichigo's feet out from under him with a well aimed swipe from Hyourinmaru.

"Don't underestimate me, Kurosaki," Hitsugaya said, smirking slightly. "I am well aware that you are physically incapable of doing anything as calming as meditating. I said before, I know plenty of training techniques. Now SIT!" Ichigo grumbled, but did as he was told and sat down facing Hitsugaya.

"Now what, sensei?" Ichigo asked sarcastically. Hitsugaya ignored him.

"Tell me a story, Kurosaki," Hitsugaya said patiently. Judging by Ichigo's confusion, Hitsugaya must have grown a third head this time.

"Huh? I thought you were too mature for story time."

"KUROSAKI!" Hitsugaya screamed, finally losing his temper. "I'm not doing this for me. Do you think I care about any stupid story you have to tell? This is for you!"

"Ok, ok," Ichigo said, waving his hands. "Screaming isn't helping me calm down any." Hitsugaya crossed his arms.

"Well?" he asked bitterly.

"Um, what kind of story do you want to hear?" Ichigo asked. Hitsugaya thought a moment.

"Tell me about Karin." Ichigo raised his eyebrows.

"Toushiro, don't tell me you're taking an interest in my sister?" Hitsugaya had to exercise all his willpower to keep from shouting again.

"She's the reason you're trying so hard to suppress your reiatsu," he explained as patiently as he could. "Telling a story about her will help relax you and focus your mind on the task at hand. Your desire to protect her will grow stronger as you think about her and as you speak, your body will subconsciously relax. At the end of the story, you will use both of those things to create a kido barrier around yourself. Understand?" Ichigo nodded. He thought for a moment, then started his story.

"Karin is strong. And when I say strong, I mean strong in every sense. She doesn't take no for an answer, that girl. She stands her ground. But while she's hot headed most of the time, she's still cool and collected when she needs to be. She's a great strategist, she can finagle anything out of anyone. If she can't do it with words, she'll do it with power. She's the top of her class, just because some jerk told her that girls weren't as smart as guys. Now, physically she's strong. Trust me, you do not want to be on the receiving end of one of her roundhouse kicks. Take it from someone who's been there, that girl packs a wallop! But she's strong emotionally too. She's not one of those crybaby annoying little girls. I haven't seen her cry since our mom died six years ago. She doesn't want anyone to worry about her. It's a bit hypocritical, since I know she worries about everyone else, but there you go. She's just that kind of selfless person, even though she would probably slug me if she heard me say it.

"I guess, there is one story that kinda shows what I'm talking about. A couple of months ago a kid came into our clinic. He was in really bad shape, bruises, broken ribs and whatnot. Karin recognized him as a recent transfer student in her class. Apparently these guys in her class had taken to bullying new kids and had beat this kid up on his way home. Well, Karin wouldn't stand for that, so the next day she confronted them. I won't say either of them won exactly. She did a number on the bullies, but Karin was beaten up pretty badly too. She immediately went to my friend Tatsuki for help. Karin's known Tatsuki for a long time, we've been friends since she was a baby, and Tatsuki's a vicious fighter. The two of them trained everyday for a month before Tatsuki deemed Karin prepared.

"Then, about three weeks ago, a new girl showed up. Same deal, the bullies cornered her after school to 'welcome' her, but this time, Karin was ready. Wow, the state they were in when they came into the clinic! You'd have thought they were hit by a truck. And Karin didn't have a scratch on her. Dad was so proud of her. I guess I was too."

Hitsugaya barely registered that Ichigo had stopped talking. He was too mesmerized by the story. It reminded him of the time he had protected Hinamori, the 

night he had decided to become a shinigami. He was in awe of this Karin girl. She was clearly a very special individual.

Ichigo's stare broke Hitsugaya from his trance. In a calm voice, Hitsugaya said,

"Now Kurosaki, try collecting your reiatsu into a barrier." Ichigo closed his eyes. Hitsugaya's technique seemed to have worked. Ichigo was at least much more relaxed. His breathing was even and he wasn't sweating. Ichigo took a deep breath, and slowly, Hitsugaya could feel Ichigo's reiatsu start to dim. It shrank and shrank until it was almost unrecognizable.

"I did it!" Ichigo screamed exhuberantly. His outburst destroyed the fragile barrier that surrounded him. Hitsugaya nodded his approval and stood.

"That'll do for a start. Now practice until you can hold it."

"I can do this!" Ichigo said excitedly, then resumed his training. "I'm coming Karin!" Hitsugaya nodded.

"We're coming Karin. Matsumoto," he whispered to himself.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Ring ring ring.

"Hello."

"Hi! It's me."

"Ah, Kiske! To what do I owe the great pleasure of your call?"

"I thought I would update you on Ichigo's training."

"Ah yes, how's that going?"

"Very well, he's almost got it now. He can form a nice barrier. Now he has to learn to control it and maintain it for more than two seconds."

"That idiot son. If he had taken any longer, I would have had to go after Karin myself."

"He's had a great deal of help you know. From that talented fukutaicho of yours."

"Ah yes, how is little Hitsugaya-kun doing?"

"He's cold and reserved, just like you said, but I've also never met someone his age with such power. You made an excellent choice and you trained him well. He's very mature and he runs his squad better than most."

"That's my boy!"

"You know, I think he would appreciate seeing you."

"He knows where to find me if he wants to. I couldn't hide from him for long, he's too good. He's known where I am for years. If he wants to talk, he'll come to me. If not, I won't burden him with my presence. I think he's still bitter."

"You should have told him you were leaving."

"Aw, Kiske, I don't need to hear that from you! Besides, it's all water under the bridge anyway. Right now, I just want my children back, safe and sound."

"Don't worry, Ichigo and Hitsugaya taicho are more than powerful enough to bring Karin back."

"I know, I trust them both. Anyway, thanks for the update."

"You're welcome."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Click.

**Mega kudos to KaRiSa for knowing this ages ago! Either you just know me way to well or I'm just not creative enough as an author. Oh well.**


	6. Rescue

Ichigo was ready. Not as ready as Hitsugaya would have liked, but ready enough. Ichigo paced furiously while Urahara prepared the door to Hueco Mondo.

"Gaah! Urahara-san!" Ichigo shouted in his frustration. "How much longer is this going to take?" Hitsugaya sighed.

"Kurosaki," he said in a tired voice, "it's been thirty seconds. You should be focusing on suppressing your reiatsu."

"Oh, and what are you doing now?" Ichigo shot back. "Shouldn't you be suppressing your reiatsu too?!" Hitsugaya sighed again.

"I don't need preparation time to create a kido barrier around myself. I can summon it at will in an instant." Ichigo looked like he was about to retort, then changed his mind and started to channel his reiatsu. After the "mediation" session with Hitsugaya, he had learned at least what it felt like to form the reiatsu hiding kido barrier that was so necessary for their rescue mission. He closed his eyes, concentrated with all his might, and eventually managed to create a fairly decent barrier. It wasn't as strong as it could have been, but at least he could maintain it for as long as he wanted.

"Very good, Kurosaki-kun!" Urahara complimented. "We're almost ready now."

"Kurosaki," Hitsugaya said seriously. "Let's go over the plan one more time. Remember, our goal is to rescue Matsumoto and Karin. We don't want Aizen to even be aware of our presence. I want…"

"No unnecessary fights, I got it, I got it, you've told me a hundred times. I'm not as dumb as you think I am you know." Hitsugaya sincerely doubted this, but chose not to press the issue.

"Hai, hai!" Urahara called, clapping his hands together. "We're ready now!" Ichigo and Hitsugaya approached the gate.

"Good luck!" Ururu cheered.

"Don't die," Urahara said with a smile. Jinta looked like he was wresting with himself over whether to say something or not.

"Go on, Jinta-kun," Ururu encouraged. "Say something!"

"Ano," he began, a blush rising in his cheeks. "Bring…BRING KARIN BACK SAFE!!" he screamed, his flush deepening. Ichigo looked back over his shoulder at Jinta and smiled broadly.

"Of course we will!" he said in agreement.

"Let's go," Hitsugaya said, and together, the two of them jumped through the open gate and into Hueco Mondo.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Again with the keys. Karin thought vaguely that that sound would haunt her for the rest of her life before the door opened to reveal, yet again, a stoic Uloquiorra. But this time, Karin was ready. If she was going to be tortured again, she should at least put up a decent fight.

"You're not taking us anywhere!" she cried, and before Matsumoto could stop her, she had thrown herself at Uloquiorra and was attacking with all her might at every part of him she could reach. She kicked and punched with everything she had, using the strength that had already killed countless hollows.

This was allowed to go on for much longer than anyone expected, but finally, Karin's seemingly infinite stamina began to wane. As she paused for a moment to take a breath, Uloquiorra asked calmly,

"Are you done?" Karin looked at him in shock. She might as well have been kicking the wall for all the effect her assault had had. But she was not discouraged. Readying herself in a fighting stance and raising her fists, she shouted,

"Come on, face me like a man! Or are you too weak?" Matsumoto gasped, afraid that Uloqiorra would simply rip Karin's head off with his bare hands at that comment, but instead he simply raised his hands and materialized chains that shot out and wrapped around Karin and Matsumoto faster than lighting.

"Unfortunately," he said in a bored voice to a very furious Karin, "I don't have time to play with you today. Aizen-sama wants to see you." But Karin wasn't done. She wouldn't follow him like sheep to the slaughter. He would have to drag her! Uloquiorra tugged gently on the chain. Karin didn't budge.

"Don't make this any harder on yourself than it already is," he said in his same monotone. "Come along."

"Make me!" she spat, her voice full of malice. Uloquiorra considered her for a brief moment.

"Very well," he replied, and pulled the chain so that Karin, in her very restricted position, toppled to the ground like a bowling pin. "Suit yourself." And with that, he pulled her, still lying on the floor, out of the cell and down the hall, with Matsumoto, who was close to tears at Karin's situation, following reluctantly behind.

oooooooooooooooooooo

"Why is this place so damn confusing?!" Ichigo complained for the hundredth time.

"Shut up Kurosaki!" Hitsugaya insisted, though he too was rather frustrated at the maze they were currently in, which also had a notable dearth of hiding spots. "Focus on finding their reiatsu."

"Damn it, I can't feel anything with this barrier around me!" Ichigo whined. "Besides, you can't even feel them." Hitsugaya scoffed. It was true, he couldn't sense 

even a shred of either Matsumoto's or Karin's reiatsu, which was unusual, since he could usually sense Matsumoto's a mile away, no matter how weak it was. Whatever kido barrier Aizen had around them was significantly stronger than any he had ever encountered. He wondered briefly if they were even in Los Noches.

Hitsugaya realized not a moment too soon that someone was coming down the hall towards them, and whisked Ichigo down a nearby turn with a mere second to spare. They watched as an Arrancar strolled lazily down the hall, humming to herself, completely oblivious to the two shinigami hiding in the shadows just inches away.

"Let's capture her and make her tell us where they are!" Ichigo whispered. Hitsugaya very nearly slugged him in his exasperation.

"No. Get it through that thick head of yours! We don't want anyone to know we're here! We can't face Aizen and a hoard of Espada by ourselves. Now shut up." Hitsugaya didn't blame Ichigo for getting impatient. They had been sneaking around for hours. But Hitsugaya still refused to resort to something that might compromise their security.

Hitsugaya felt it before Ichigo did. He was much more talented at sensing reiatsu, and besides, Ichigo was too focused on maintaining his own barrier to feel much outside it. And it was faint. Really faint. But there was no mistaking it. The barrier around Matsumoto and Karin had weakened enough for Hitsugaya to sense them which meant one of two things-either Aizen had gone soft, which Hitsugaya seriously doubted, or someone else was casting it. Hitsugaya closed his eyes and followed the faint reiatsu until he could locate their position. They were moving.

"Kurosaki," Hitsugaya said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Don't scream. I found them."

"Really!" Ichigo said much more loudly than Hitsugaya would have liked. "Where?"

"It's faint, but it's definitely them. They're moving. Follow me." And with that, Hitsugaya took off running towards the source, Ichigo close on his tail. He had hoped to find where they were locked up and rescue them from there. The fact that they were moving put him and Ichigo in an awkward position as there would definitely be guards, and powerful ones by the feel of the reiatsu near them, but beggars can't be choosers.

Hitsugaya heard the sound of chains and something being dragged on the ground. He peaked around the corner and saw them. Uloquiorra was leading a forlorn looking Matsumoto and dragging-_dragging_-a very pissed-off looking Karin behind him. Hitsugaya motioned to Ichigo and they snuck around the corner.

Karin saw them. Her eyes widened in surprise and relief, but she had the common sense not to say anything. Ichigo unsheathed his zanpakto, and before Uloquiorra even became aware of their presence, Ichigo had sliced him in half.

With the death of the creator of the chains, they fell clanking to the floor. Karin jumped up and stared at Ichigo, her hands on her hips.

"Took you long enough!" she said in an annoyed voice. "We've been starved and tortured over here. What were you doing, contemplating whether or not I was worth saving?"

"Shut up!" Ichigo said, but he was smiling. "And by the way, you stink!"

"You try living in a moldy cell for three days and see how great you smell!" Karin retorted.

"Taicho!" Matsumoto said excitedly, bounding over to Hitsugaya. "I've never been more happy to see you! I knew you'd come." But Hitsugaya wasn't really listening. He was too busy staring at Uloquiorra's severed body.

"Kurosaki," Hitsugaya said, and though he tried to hide it, the anger and panic in his voice was apparent. "I thought I told you, we don't want to be discovered." Ichigo looked from Hitsugaya to Uloquiorra, thoroughly confused.

"Huh?" he asked. "We rescued them, so what's the big deal. And besides, how was I supposed to get them back without killing him."

"You could have knocked him out!" Hitsugaya said, his mind racing as he thought about their current situation. "We're not free yet, we still have to get out of here! Uloquiorra's reiatsu just disappeared entirely. That's not something you can just hide. When Aizen finds out…"

"Unfortunately," said a voice behind them that made everyone present's blood run cold,

"I already know."

**Ahhh, the suspense! I can't take it!**

**Incidentally, I've** **decided to do something that I've seen other people do, because I think it will be fun and a nice challenge. Everyone (yes everyone, not the fifth person or something like that,) who reviews this chapter will get a one-shot from me! But, it's got to be HistuKarin (unless you come up with something else that's really good and peaks my interest, but then why the heck aren't you writing it). You can give me an idea, a situation, a sentence you want to be in it, or a word that you think would make a nice theme. Depending on how many reviews I get, I may combine some of them into the same story. So start your creative (and wacky, I'm ok with wacky) juices flowing. Oh, and don't worry, this story is still top priority and I will still update it just as frequently-although the next chapter is proving to be really hard to write…**


	7. The Chapter I Promised Not to Write

**Wow, thank you all for your reviews! And your great ideas. Two of your one-shots are already up and I'm working on the others. Some of your requests are so good, I may actually turn them into a full story, so if you don't see a one-shot, keep a lookout for that. Also, ScrewyLouie12, I have absolutely no idea what you mean, so if you want to clarify, that would be nice.**

**And now onto the chapter I promised I would never write.**

Hitsugaya whipped around to face the man he hated more than any other. Aizen Souske, the traitor of Soul Society, and the man who had impaled Hinamori. The man Hitsugaya had vowed to kill, but knew he wasn't strong enough. The man who had nearly killed him.

"Aizen," Hitsugaya said with contempt, wrapping his hand tightly around Hyourinmaru's hilt. He unsheathed the sword, then moved to stand in front of the two women.

"Matsumoto, Karin," he said seriously, "you two stay out of this. You're unarmed and weak from being locked up for three days." Matsumoto nodded and put her arm around Karin's shoulder, ready to protect her with kido if she had to. Ichigo stepped forward to stand next to Hitsugaya.

"Sorry," he said, raising his zanpakto. "I can't let you have all the fun. We'll fight him together." Hitsugaya nodded his agreement. Aizen merely looked at them amused.

"Bankai!" they shouted at the same time. The explosion of reiatsu caused by the release shattered the walls and created a large crater in the floor. A rushing sound whistled through the hall and smoke seemed to rise from the spot where the two taicho level shinigami stood, one in black, one in ice.

Aizen looked at the decimated walls and Hitsugaya's enormous wings, which barely fit in the space provided and smiled.

"This simply won't do," he said with a disturbing grin. "It would be too easy to kill you here. You can barely move. It wouldn't be honorable to kill you when you are at such a disadvantage. Let's go somewhere with more room." He turned and began to walk away. Hitsugaya knew that they had to follow. As much as he didn't want to fight Aizen, trying to run away now that they had been discovered would be futile. So, reluctantly, the group followed Aizen down the hall towards a more suitable fighting location.

Karin was nervous. Now, Karin didn't get nervous easily, but Matsumoto had told her all about Hitsugaya's fight with Aizen and how he had so easily injured Ichigo. All because of that special ability of his zanpakto-anyone who sees it once falls under its spell and can by hypnotized by its illusions. _Anyone who has seen it once_…

Karin gasped. She had just realized something important. Really important. A way to possibly beat this man. She moved to stand next to Hitsugaya and leaned towards him. Despite his wings, he was closer in height to her than Ichigo, so she could whisper more freely.

"Toushiro," she said as quietly as she could, "I've never seen his zanpakto. I'm not under his hypnosis. He can't fool me. I'll watch him move and tell you where to attack." Hitsugaya stared at her.

"No," he stated soundly. "You are not to involve yourself. Aizen would kill you without a second thought if he knew you were interfering…"

"If I shout directions to you, you can't do anything about it, now can you?" Her face was set and serious. She wasn't going to back down. Hitsugaya remembered everything he had heard about her over the past few days. How strong she was. How she couldn't just sit by and watch other people suffer. How she didn't take no for an answer. As much as he wanted to keep her out of danger, he also knew that her idea was excellent. If he or Ichigo could get in just one critical hit, forcing Aizen to draw his sword, the hypnosis would break and the fight would at least take a serious turn in their favor. It was their only hope.

"Alright," he agreed. "But do your best to stay out of the way as much as possible. I don't want you hit by a stray attack. And stay close to Matsumoto." Karin smiled at him. For some reason, whether it was apprehension for the upcoming battle or not he couldn't tell, he felt his stomach do a somersault.

They entered a large chamber, one of many that were interspersed throughout the vast labyrinth that was Los Noches. Aizen walked to the center of the room, then turned to face the party. He smiled his terrible, mysterious smile. It made the hair on the back of Karin's neck stand on end. Matsumoto grabbed Karin's arm and pulled her to the side out of the way. She didn't protest, but focused with all her might on Aizen, waiting for the slightest movement.

Hitsugaya and Ichigo raised their zanpaktos, ready to attack or defend at a moment's notice. They both knew who they were up against. But Aizen was in no hurry. Hands folded gently, he stood there with his horrible smile, daring his challengers to take even a single step in his direction. The stalemate lasted for several minutes. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Sweat trickled down Ichigo's forehead. Matsumoto bit her lip. Hitsugaya perked his ears, waiting for Karin's signal. Karin was staring at Aizen so intently, she almost forgot to blink. And Aizen just stood there, cool and calm, as if he was about to welcome them all in for tea.

And then, Karin saw him move. Well, he more disappeared than moved, but Karin could still see it. However, judging by the lack of reaction from anyone else, she knew that she was the only one who saw it. It was only a split second, but it was enough. Karin, using the skills born from her tireless soccer training, could follow Aizen's movements. She had quick reflexes and keen eyes. She knew where he was.

"Jump!" she screamed, and Hitsugaya leapt backwards and into the air, just as Aizen shot a white lighting kido at him, shattering the floor beneath where Hitsugaya's feet had been seconds before. But only Karin saw the kido. Only Karin saw the new hole in the floor. Everyone else was still trapped in the illusion.

Hitsugaya felt very strange. To him, Aizen didn't appear to have moved at all. He could see him still standing there looking bored, but for some reason, he trusted Karin implicitly. He would put all his faith in her during this battle.

Ichigo however, was thoroughly confused.

"Karin, what…?" he started to ask, but there wasn't time to explain.

"Ichi-nii, behind you!" Karin shouted desperately, and to her great relief, Ichigo parried the attack to his back. Karin was stunned. Aizen had blocked the attack _with his bare hands_! But she didn't have the time nor the desire to marvel at Aizen's skill.

"To the left!" she cried, and Ichigo thankfully did as he was told, narrowly avoiding another kido, which grazed his side slightly, but did no real damage.

In the air, Hitsugaya was assessing the situation. He wasn't a taicho for nothing. Although he couldn't see or sense his opponent, Karin's directions and Ichigo's singed waistband were exactly what he needed.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyourinmaru!" he called, and a solid sheet of ice shot towards the spot where he assumed Aizen would be. He had assumed correctly, and Karin saw Aizen dodge the ice by a hair and shoot straight at Hitsugaya.

"Jab!" she directed, and Hitsugaya responded by thrusting his sword forward with as much force as he could manage. Aizen, while expecting it, couldn't avoid it entirely, and received a shallow wound on his arm. But it wasn't enough to make him draw his zanpakto. It wasn't worth that.

Aizen at this point was getting slightly irritated by this annoying little girl who could read his movements and direct counterattacks with such pinpoint accuracy. He hadn't thought it necessary to put her under hypnosis, she was just a foolish child. It was a mistake that she was even here in the first place! Aizen decided that the best option was to silence her before she could do any more damage. He raced towards her at an incredible speed, readying himself for a powerful kido attack.

Karin's eyes opened wide in surprise and something akin to fear as she watched Aizen rapidly change direction and speed directly at her. She was so unnerved by his obvious attack on her that she forgot to instruct Hitsugaya and Ichigo. But Hitsugaya, who was watching her intently as his lifeline, saw her reaction and the look on her face and knew exactly what it meant.

He shunpoed to her as fast as he could and landed right in front of her, protecting her with his wings. He slashed furiously downwards with Hyourinmaru, hoping to fend Aizen off by blocking his path to Karin. What he wasn't expecting was resistance. And 

not the resistance of a hand, but a sword. And suddenly, Aizen stood before Hitsugaya, zanpakto drawn, hypnosis broken.

"I found you!" Hitsugaya said satisfactorily, a wide smirk growing on his face.

"I'm impressed, Hitsugaya taicho," Aizen said casually, "that your true power came out, not when you were avenging Hinamori, but when you were protecting this little human girl." Hitsugaya's smirk turned to a scowl and his face darkened.

"You will not lay one finger on Karin," he said with conviction. The stalemate broke and they jumped back to face each other in a fair fight. No illusions, no hypnosis, just raw power and skill.

"Aizen," Hitsugaya said, his hatred lining his face, "I'm going to kill you." Aizen smiled.

"You never learn do you? You still say things that make you sound weak." Hitsugaya's lips curled into an evil grin.

"We'll see who's weaker after we fight." And with that, they ran towards each other and their swords clashed. The sound of metal on metal echoed through the cavernous training hall. They moved so fast, their bodies seemed to blur. Karin, who could still follow their movements, watched with baited breath. Her fingernails dug into the palms of her clenched fists and drew blood, but she didn't even notice. She was entirely wrapped up in this fight, hoping and praying that Hitsugaya could defeat this man. She didn't want to think of what would happen if Hitsugaya died. It was strange, she had only actually met him a few times, but from all the stories Matsumoto had told her during their incarceration, she had grown really fond of him. She was inspired by his bravery and inner strength, his desire to protect those he cares for, even the ice cold facade that hides his true emotions. She didn't really understand her feelings. All she knew was that no matter what, she wanted him to survive this battle. She couldn't imagine never seeing him again.

Hitsugaya and Aizen broke apart. They were both panting. Hitsugaya had blood streaming down his face and a deep wound in his side, but Aizen wasn't looking much better. He had gashes in his stomach and arm, and blood dripped off of his left hand, curling down his fingers and dotting the floor. Aizen shot another kido, but Hitsugaya moved his wing to protect himself and charged. Aizen jumped, and Hitsugaya aimed low, swiping across his legs. When Aizen landed he stood up strait, but it was clear that he was struggling to remain upright on his injured legs.

"You're the one who's weak, Aizen!" Hitsugaya said with vindictive pleasure. "You rely too much on your hypnosis ability. When was the last time you fought a real battle? Only cowards fight the way you do, hiding behind illusions, not giving your opponent a chance to counter. You're pathetic." Hitsugaya didn't know why he was egging this man on, but it felt good for the moment. Aizen however, was not to be outdone. He charged forward, damaged legs and all, and attacked with all his might. But his strength was waning due to his injuries, and Hitsugaya slashed downwards, inflicting a deep wound in his shoulder, identical to the one Aizen had inflicted upon him. 

Blood gushed out, showering Hitsugaya and Aizen collapsed on the floor. He lay there, smile never leaving his face. They felt his reiatsu get weaker and weaker.

"It was fun while it lasted…" Aizen said with a sigh. Then he released his grip on his zanpakto and it clattered to the ground. Blood oozed out of him, creating a crimson pool on the floor. And finally, everyone present felt his reiatsu disappear. Hitsugaya looked down at his defeated opponent. There was no mistaking it; Aizen was dead.

"Taicho, you did it!" Matsumoto cried with delight, rushing over to him and pulling him into a suffocating hug despite his injuries.

"Leggo Matsumoto, now's not the time," he gasped from between her cleavage. Matsumoto pulled back and beamed at him. "I knew you could do it!" She was covered in blood from hugging him and she didn't care, she was so proud and relieved.

"Well done Toushiro!" Ichigo said, coming over and slapping him on the back. "But I wish I could have fought him for a bit longer. I mean man, what an opponent!" Hitsugaya looked like he really wanted to say something, but Matsumoto and Ichigo were making such a fuss that he couldn't get a word in edgewise. Karin stood back from the scene and smiled. She was immensely proud of Hitsugaya and relived beyond words that he was alright, but now that the battle was over, she didn't know exactly how to approach him. She suddenly felt extremely awkward.

Hitsugaya also wanted to get a moment with Karin to thank her profusely for helping them. He knew that both he and Ichigo would be dead if it wasn't for her. But that wasn't the only thing. He had so much to say to her, but didn't know quite how to phrase it. He felt like he knew her so well, after hearing so many stories about her and seeing them come true before his very eyes. But, in actuality, they had only spoken a few times. He knew she couldn't feel for him what he was feeling for her at that moment; it was impossible. After all, there was no way she knew him as well as he knew her.

The celebrations were cut short by the entrance of two individuals.

"Tisk tisk, now what's all this? Aizen's dead is he? Y'all are celebrating, but yer not free yet. Didja forget about us?" Everyone turned towards the door to stare at the new, very unwelcome individuals.

"Let them have their festivities Gin," Tousen said. "They'll be dead soon enough."

**I know, I did it to you again. I'm sorry. Please review and let me know what you think of my first real battle scene.**


	8. Matsumoto vs Gin

It took a moment for the group to realize the gravity of their situation. Aizen was dead, but the threat wasn't gone. They were still in Los Noches, surrounded by Arrancar, and with Gin and Tousen blocking their path, they had no way to escape. Ichigo stepped forward.

"Toushiro," he said seriously, raising his zanpakto, "let me fight them. You're already injured." Hitsugaya was about to protest, to say that he could still fight and there was no way Ichigo could handle both of them by himself, but someone else beat him to it.

"No!" The voice rang clearly through the hall, and everyone present turned to look at the speaker.

"Matsumoto?" Hitsugaya gasped with disbelief. Matsumoto walked towards them. She looked tall and fierce, with a wild look in her eyes and her face set with determination.

"Taicho, Ichigo," she said intensely, "let me fight Gin." Hitsugaya gaped at her.

"Matsumoto, you've been locked up for three days and you're unarmed. What can you possibly…?"

"Lend me Hyourinmaru," she said in the same dark tone. Hitsugaya's eyes widened. It was very rare for a shinigami to use any zanpakto but their own. They certainly couldn't release it, which put them at a serious disadvantage. It was even rarer for someone to ask to borrow a zanpakto. They were such personal items. But Hitsugaya and Matsumoto had a very special relationship and Hitsugaya knew what fighting Gin would mean to her. The fact that she even had the audacity to ask for something as monumental as borrowing a taicho's zanpakto showed how vitally important this was to her.

"Alright," he agreed, dissolving his bankai and handing her Hyourinmaru. Matsumoto nodded her appreciation and took the sword from him. It was cold to the touch, but it seemed to her to be quivering in her hands, eager to fight, as if Hyourinmaru also knew how much this fight meant to her.

"Gin!" Matsumoto thundered. "Come over here and face me like a man!" Gin smirked.

"Ayia, now what's this? Ran-chan wants to play with me? This ain't a game ya' know." Matsumoto's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not Ran-chan!" she insisted. "I'm Matsumoto Rangiku, 10th squad's fukutaicho, and I'm going to kill you!" Gin's grin stretched so far it looked like it was longer than his face.

"Ran-chan, ya' know ya' can't fight me. Why don't ya' put yer toy down?" Matsumoto's grip on Hyourinmaru tightened. Her knuckles started to turn white.

"Don't mess with me Gin!" she cried, her voice unwavering in its conviction. "If you don't come to me, I'm going to come to you!" Gin's smile stretched, if possible, even wider and he shook his head.

"I never thought I'd be the one who'd haffta kill ya' Ran-chan," he said with mock sympathy. He disappeared and reappeared at her side instantaneously. He was so fast she almost didn't block his attack in time. He smirked again.

"See, yer just not strong enough ta' face me Ran-chan," he said affectionately.

"I blocked your attack, didn't I?" Matsumoto said, her own vindictive smirk spreading across her face. They broke apart and clashed again and again, Matsumoto fighting with everything she had. She loved the man on the other end of the sword. And she hated him. She hated him because he betrayed Soul Society, she hated him for hurting Hinamori, and therefore her taicho, but she hated him the most for abandoning her. She wanted him dead. But even as she fought to kill, she wondered if she had the strength, in both body and mind, to do it with her own hands. This was why she wanted to fight. Why she _needed_ to fight. To prove to herself that she had truly risen from the ashes.

Hitsugaya was in awe. He had never seen Matsumoto fight so viciously and with such passion and blood lust. It was obvious how much she needed to fight this battle. But it was also clear to him that it was only her will that was keeping her going. She was tired and weakened from hunger. And, she was fighting with Hyourinmaru, which was much heavier and longer than her own zanpakto, making it harder and more awkward for her to wield.

Gin slashed a well aimed swipe at her side and she dodged, but he rapidly changed direction and his sword shot upwards, knocking Matsumoto backwards. Blood spurted from a deep gash, and she grabbed her right arm to try to stem the flow, but now she could barely lift the sword.

"Well," Gin said, lazily, "it's been fun Ran-chan, sparring with ya' again and all, but now, I think it's time fer ya' to die." He rushed at her, and Hitsugaya knew she wouldn't be able to block his attack. He also knew that he was unarmed and powerless to protect her.

"Kurosaki!" he cried desperately, knowing he was depending on him and not caring. Ichigo understood and rushed to Matsumoto's side to block the attack. But it wasn't Ichigo who reached her first.

"I'm sorry, Gin," Tousen said drawing his sword, "but I'm afraid it's time for _you_ to die." And with that, Tousen stabbed Gin in the heart before he had a chance to comprehend the fact that his ally had turned on him. He was dead before he hit the floor, his final grin still plastered on his pale face.

"Tousen," Matsumoto marveled, but it was Hitsugaya who took control over the situation.

"Tousen," he said powerfully, "what's going on?" Tousen turned to Hitsugaya, and to everyone's surprise, he fell to the floor and prostrated himself.

"I'm incredibly sorry, Hitsugaya taicho, for my actions. But I think they can all be explained." Hitsugaya crossed his arms, glanced at Ichigo to warn him to be ready for any surprises, then said,

"Ok, let's hear it." Tousen remained in his humble position as he spoke.

"Aizen approached me with this plan years ago. Because I am blind, I cannot fall under his hypnosis, so he knew that in order to succeed, he needed me as a ally. At the time, I was a mere 6th seat, not nearly powerful enough to stop him. But I also knew that I was the only one who could, everyone else already being hypnotized. I followed his plan and gained his trust. But I remained faithful to Soul Society and did what I could to foil his plans behind the scenes. I hope that my murder of the traitor Ichimaru Gin will serve as some evidence as to my true loyalties. I have information on the abilities and whereabouts of all the Arrancar. With my help, they will no longer be a threat. Please, accept me back and let me come home. I will accept any punishment Soul Society deems necessary."

Hitsugaya considered this speech. Part of him felt like this was all some grand illusion of Aizen's. But Aizen was dead. He had killed him himself. And Tousen _had_ killed Gin. He looked at Matsumoto and they had a silent conference. They were in agreement.

"I believe you, Tousen taicho," Hitsugaya said, pointedly addressing him by his title. Tousen visibly relaxed.

"Thank you, Hitsugaya taicho," he said gratefully.

"You understand that I will have to lock you up," Hitsugaya explained. "At least, until we get everything straightened out." Tousen nodded, and Hitsugaya created a powerful kido barrier around him, but one that was much less intimidating than Uloquiorra's chains.

Hitsugaya went up to Matsumoto, whose eyes seemed hollow and distant.

"Are you alright?" he asked cautiously. She nodded, fighting back tears.

"I'm not sorry he's dead," she said truthfully. "I'm just sorry about the man he became." She handed Hitsugaya back his sword.

"Thank you taicho, for letting me fight." Her gratitude was apparent on her face. Hitsugaya nodded.He then set to work creating two gates, one to Soul Society, the other to the human world.

"Wait," Ichigo asked confused, "you can create these gates too?" Hitsugaya sighed.

"For the last time Kurosaki, I'm a taicho! Of course I can create gates. Did you think only Urahara could do this?" Ichigo didn't quite know how to respond, so he didn't. Finally, everything was ready.

Karin had remained silent throughout the entire encounter. She recognized how important Matsumoto's fight was, and the immensity of what had occurred with Tousen, so she had stayed out of it, not wanting to involve herself where she didn't belong. But now that they were ready to leave, Karin almost wished that she could go to Soul Society too.

"Toushiro," she said, coming up behind him. "Will I ever see you again?" The look they shared held more meaning than either of them could decipher at the time.

"I don't know," he said truthfully. "Maybe." She smiled weakly, and for some reason, Hitsugaya did too. But luckily for him, no one else noticed.

"Karin, let's go," Ichigo said impatiently. Hitsugaya and Karin reluctantly broke their gaze. Matsumoto came over to Karin and gave her an enormous one armed hug; her other arm was still bleeding.

"Thank you for everything Karin-chan," she said warmly.

"Of course! Thank you, Rangiku-san!" Karin said as brightly as she could. Then the two parties separated and, with a final round of thanks and farewells, disappeared through their respective gates.

**This is the last fight scene. Next time, I return to happier stuff.**

**That idea with Tousen being loyal to Soul Society has been floating around in my head forever. I still honestly believe he's innocent, but I think I may be alone in that. Oh well, I think it's a good idea.**

**I'm still working on the one-shots. I'm debating which ideas I want to be one-shots and which ideas I want to assemble into a larger story, because some of them are so good they warrant that. There should definitely be another one-shot up tomorrow. **


	9. Why am I Here?

**I've got another one-shot up. Yay! Please go read it and tell me what you think. And as for the rest of you who requested one-shots (yes, ALL of you), instead of writing one-shots, I'm going to incorporate your ideas into a real story, both because your ideas are too long to fit properly into a one-shot, and because they're so good a one-shot would just never do them justice. So keep your eyes out for that story as soon as I finish this one (which will be relatively soon).**

**Oh, and sorry Nefarious Seraph 13, but your first idea was actually much better than you think and I'm going to use it (assuming that's still ok with you.)**

**And yes Slothy Girl, I accept!**

The next month was one of celebration in Soul Society. Of course, there were still Espada and Arrancar to kill, but with Tousen's priceless information, many of them had already been eliminated with very few casualties on the shinigami side. Tousen had been completely forgiven and returned to his rightful spot as 9th squad taicho.

Hitsugaya had been incredibly busy. He wrote the longest report he could ever remember writing on his battle with Aizen and Tousen's confession. And he was Tousen's strongest advocate when they returned. It had taken several days, many retellings of the death of Gin, the location of Matsumoto's zanpakto, and a detailed report on the strengths and weaknesses of every single Arrancar to convince the rest of Seireitei that Tousen was truly innocent. And some were still not convinced. Hitsugaya was exhausted. He hadn't even had the chance to speak with Matsumoto about what had happened during her stay in Hueco Mondo.

He walked into the office and was met with the largest fruit basket he had ever seen. The price of fruit being what it was (fruit is _very_ expensive in Japan), he was convinced that it was worth several months' salary. Matsumoto was standing over it, humming to herself, arranging oranges lovingly.

"What's this?" he asked, indicating the basket. Matsumoto looked at him and smiled.

"A present for Karin-chan!" she said happily, standing back to consider the effect of her arrangement.

"Oh, for helping us in that battle?" he asked, feeling slightly guilty. With everything that had been going on, he had been too busy to do something to thank Karin for putting her life on the line to save his. He couldn't even remember if he had said thank you before they parted in Hueco Mondo. Matsumoto's face fell slightly. She was still staring at the basket, but it was clear that she didn't really see it.

"No," she said seriously. "Because she didn't scream." Hitsugaya looked at her with a confused expression. Matsumoto sighed deeply.

"We were tortured taicho," she explained. "Aizen tortured us for information about Soul Society's battle preparations. He tortured me first, assuming Karin-chan wouldn't know anything, but I refused to talk, so he tortured Karin-chan instead, thinking 

that I would break if I saw my friend in pain. Karin-chan…she told me not to say anything no matter what. He tortured her for a long time, much longer than me, until she fainted from the pain. But she didn't scream. It was hard enough for me to keep my mouth shut, knowing how much she was suffering, but if she had screamed, I don't think I could have held my tongue any longer. So, I want to thank her." Hitsugaya felt slightly nauseous. He hadn't realized that they had been tortured. Matsumoto hadn't told him.

"I…uh…excuse me," he stuttered, then left the room as quickly as dignity would allow. He jumped onto the roof and sat down, clutching his head in his hands, trying to clear it. When he had composed himself, he sat back, and stared at the sky, thinking hard.

He had thought a lot about Karin over the past month. He didn't know why, but she was ever present in his thoughts, floating there in the background throughout all the proceedings with Tousen and organization of Arrancar disposal. After helping her in her soccer game and discovering her true identity, he never thought he would see her again, or even think of her as anything more than Ichigo's sister. But that was before he found out more about her from Ichigo and everyone at the Urahara shop. Being concerned for their friend, Ururu and Jinta had told him plenty of stories. And then there was that battle. And…not screaming.

Hitsugaya thought about the look they shared, right before they parted in Los Noches. What had it meant? He didn't think it was possible for Karin to feel for him anything like what he was feeling for her, but that look had told him otherwise. He didn't understand it at the time, and he really still didn't know what it meant, but there was more to it than simple camaraderie at sharing a battle like that and a thank you for rescuing her. It was deeper, with more meaning, like he was an incredibly special person to her that it pained her beyond recognition to part with. Like he meant more to her than he should considering how little time they had actually spent together. Like she knew him as well as he knew her. He stared at a cloud and thought that it looked vaguely like a soccer ball. He smiled unconsciously.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Why was she here? Karin kept asking herself that question. It seemed so illogical. But she had come here every day. She just couldn't stay away. This was _his_ spot and the place that reminded her of _him_ the most. And all she wanted to do was remember _him_. She leaned against the rail and stared up at the yellow sunset. She sighed deeply.

It had been a month since Ichigo and Hitsugaya had rescued her and Matsumoto from Los Noches and she had thought about him constantly. Part of her hated herself for it. He was a shinigami, and a taicho at that. She didn't know if she would ever see him again. And there was just no way he could care for her as much as she cared for him. After all, she had spent three days rotting in a jail cell with Matsumoto who had filled their time regaling her with stories of her illustrious taicho. Karin felt like she had known Hitsugaya for years. But then she would remember that she was just a human. 

A meaningless person in his life. Who was she kidding, thinking that maybe, possibly, he would come back to see her.

But then there was that look he gave her. And that smile. He had actually smiled! She knew him well enough to know that his smiles were rare and very special. He didn't do that for just anyone. And his eyes had said more than just 'thank you for helping me fight.' But what they actually said, she couldn't figure out no matter how hard she tried.

She sighed again. This was stupid.

"You're pathetic, Kurosaki Karin," she derided herself. "He's never coming back. You don't mean anything to him. Forget about him!" But she couldn't and she knew it.

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Why was he here? He kept asking himself that question over and over again, but still couldn't find a logical answer. He was a taicho! Taichos just didn't do things like this! But yet, here he was. He looked at Karakura town, spread out in front him, and wondered vaguely if he should just turn around and go back. But now that he was here, his body simply wouldn't perform the motions necessary to return to Soul Society. Not yet anyway. Not until he did what he came here to do.

But that didn't mean he was ready to do that either. So, he stood there, arguing with himself, willing himself to break the stalemate and just do _something_, when he realized that there was another person in Karakura whom he wanted to see. One person who might understand his feelings at the moment, whom he could open up to, and whom he trusted implicitly. Decision made, he turned and headed in the direction of the Kurosaki clinic.

Hitsugaya paused briefly outside the door. He hadn't seen this man in many years, and he still wasn't entirely sure he had forgiven him. But now was not the time to dwell on the past. He had the future to look forward to. He took a deep breath and knocked.

Isshin opened the door. He smiled down at the emerald eyed boy standing on the doorstep.

"Hello, Hitsugaya-kun," he said warmly. "I was wondering when you were going to come and see me."

"Were you expecting me?" Hitsugaya asked incredulously. Isshin laughed.

"No. But I've always been waiting for you. I knew you would come back eventually." Hitsugaya scowled.

"Just because I'm here doesn't mean I've forgiven you." Isshin sighed.

"I know," he said sadly. "Come on in. I think maybe it's time for me to explain everything. I think you can understand it now."

Hitsugaya followed Isshin inside and sat at the table, his face impassive. Isshin placed tea in front of both of them and seated himself across from Hitsugaya.

"Thirty years ago," he began, "I was coming to the human world a lot. Kiske was performing some experiment or other and he needed my help. It turns out it was a miserable failure and ended up zapping my shinigami powers." Isshin laughed and shook his head. "That fool. Anyway, I told Yamamoto soutaicho that I had to stay in the human world to recuperate, which would take years, maybe forever. The old geezer was furious. Honestly, I thought he was going to kill me on the spot for involving myself in such ridiculousness. He allowed me to leave however, and kept the loss of my powers top secret. I wasn't even allowed to tell you.

"But losing my powers ended up just being a convenient excuse. That's not the real reason I left. While I was in the human world, I met someone. A woman with beautiful strawberry blond hair. She told me I looked good holding a cigarette. We started spending time together, lots of it, more time than we should have, and…well…" Isshin trailed off, but Hitsugaya picked up his train of thought.

"You're wife," he said gently. "Masaki." Isshin nodded.

"Yes. I would have left Soul Society anyway for her, with or without powers." The two sat in silence for several moments. Hitsugaya could understand exactly how Isshin felt; he was currently having very similar thoughts.

"Why didn't you tell me that part?" he asked, not bothering to hide the bitterness in his voice. "That wasn't top secret." Isshin smiled.

"Honestly," he said with a laugh, "I didn't think you would understand. You're young, Hitsugaya-kun, and though you don't act it, and you are wise way beyond your years, there are some things only time and experience can teach. So, although I knew you would hate me for abandoning you, I thought it would be even worse if you didn't understand my motives for leaving. I'm sorry." Hitsugaya processed this. It made sense, but he still wasn't entirely inclined to forgive the man he had idolized who had left him without a word.

"Why are you telling me this now?" he asked coolly. Isshin beamed at him.

"As I said before, I think you can understand it now." He stood up and cleared away the tea cups. "Oh, and in case you were wondering, Karin is at school right now. At least, that's where she should be. You never know with that one." Hitsugaya gaped at Isshin. Did he know?! The juxtaposition of those two sentences was too coincidental for him _not_ to know. But, for some reason, Isshin's words relaxed him slightly. It was approval, plain and simple. Hitsugaya stood to leave.

"Oh, one more thing, Hitsugaya-kun," Isshin called after him. "You know, I loved Masaki and I never once regret leaving Soul Society to be with her, but as time went on, I started to realize that I didn't have to do that. That I could have had both." Hitsugaya stopped in his tracks, and turned back to face Isshin, stunned and hopeful.

"What do you mean?" he asked eagerly, ignoring all pretence. Isshin clearly knew what was on his mind, so there was no point in hiding it.

"Well," Isshin said with a devious smile, "lots of people commute to work. Some live hours away from their jobs. I see nothing wrong with a taicho doing the same. Just a thought." Isshin suddenly dropped his semi-serious manner.

"Come back and see me sometime again soon, ok Hitsugaya-kun!" he said exuberantly, falling back into his normal over-enthusiastic personality. "Don't wait another twenty or so years this time." Hitsugaya nodded.

"Thank you taicho," he said appreciatively before seeing himself out.

**I didn't leave you with a cliffhanger. I thought about it, but decided to be nice. The next chapter is a lot of fun, I promise.**


	10. Another Mistake

**Just so you all know, I've been wanting to write this chapter for ages but it never really fit in my other stories. I'm really glad it fits here. I hope you enjoy it!**

With renewed hope, Hitsugaya headed towards the elementary school, his conversation with Isshin replaying itself in his head. According to Isshin, there was nothing to worry about. He could have everything he wanted. But, there was still one very important factor. He hadn't actually spoken to Karin yet.

He had no idea how she really felt about him, but he had finally come to the conclusion that he couldn't live without her. Even if she just saw him as a friend, it didn't matter. He wanted her in his life. He needed her in his life. She was too special a person to simply ignore.

Hitsugaya paused outside the school building, and realized a bit too late that this was silly. Karin was in class, and he certainly wasn't going to go pull her out. It was poor planning on his part to come in the middle of the morning. He leaned against a tree, deciding to wait until school was over, or at least until lunch.

"Oi, you there!" called a gruff voice, but Hitsugaya ignored it. Who would be talking to him?

"Oi, you! Yes you, kid with the white hair!" Ok, maybe he was talking to him.

"What?" growled Hitsugaya, turning to face a burly looking janitor who had way too much body hair and was seriously in need of braces.

"Don't speak to me in that tone kid!" the janitor reprimanded, puffing himself up, trying desperately to give himself the appearance of authority, but really just looking like an overgrown turkey. If Hitsugaya was one to laugh, he probably would have. Instead, he stared at the man in disbelief.

"What do you want?" Hitsugaya asked rudely, refusing to give this man the satisfaction of feeling superior. The janitor eyed him suspiciously.

"Shouldn't you be in class brat?" he asked.

"What!?" Hitsugaya shouted, furious now. "I'm not an elementary student!" The janitor laughed a tremendous, hearty laugh.

"Oh…oh god," he stuttered, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. "That's rich. Come on kid," he demanded, and he wrapped his sweaty, sausage-like fingers around Hitsugaya's arm and started dragging him towards the building.

"Wait," Hitsugaya protested. "I uh, I don't go to school here!" But the man wasn't listening. He was still shaking his head and muttering 'not an elementary student,' under his breath. Hitsugaya thought briefly about making a run for it, but he really didn't want to make a scene. He was cursing himself for coming in a gigai.

"What was I thinking?!" he thought angrily.

The janitor dragged him all the way to the office. The secretary looked up, startled, as the janitor barged in.

"Um, is anything wrong?" she asked sweetly. The janitor pointed a fat finger at a very disgruntled Hitsugaya.

"I found this kid loitering outside," he said proudly. "I think he deserves a detention at least!" The janitor clearly thought that he was much more important than he really was. In a different situation, Hitsugaya would have been highly amused, but there were more pressing issues on his mind-like how he was going to get out of this.

"Well," the secretary said, eyeing Hitsugaya curiously. "What class is he in?"

"I'm not in any class!" Hitsugaya shouted, losing his temper. "I don't go to school here! I…uh…I'm from out of town. I'm here visiting a friend!" It wasn't a great excuse, but it could work.

"What's all the fuss out here?" asked a very tall women, stepping out of a back office marked "Principle".

"This kid's been ditching class!" the janitor said excitedly, his face glowing with pride. "I caught him!" This man was clearly hankering for a promotion. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes.

"Were you not listening to me?" Hitsugaya said through gritted teeth. "I don't…" but he was cut short by the door opening.

"Excuse me," said the person who had just entered. "I've brought the attendance for class 7B…" her voice trailed off as she witnessed the scene in front of her. The principle was standing there looking particularly peeved, the secretary was furiously flipping through class lists, and her least favorite janitor had his hand wrapped tightly around a very angry boy. A boy she knew well.

"Toushiro!" Karin exclaimed, utterly startled. "What on earth are you doing here?" Hitsugaya felt a very strange mixture of emotions upon seeing her. He was elated, nervous, and excited, but most of all, he was relieved, because at this moment, she would be able to help him out of this rather awkward situation.

"Kurosaki, you know this boy?" the principle asked incredulously. Karin and Hitsugaya shared a quick look, which Hitsugaya hoped told her what she needed to know. Luckily, it did.

"Yes," she replied. "He's my friend from out of town." Hitsugaya breathed a sigh of relief. At least their stories matched.

The secretary stopped ruffling her papers and looked up at the principle, who was pursing her lips. She seemed to be considering what to do. The janitor looked extremely flustered as he felt his promotion fly out the window with the revelation that he had apprehended someone who wasn't actually a student.

Thankfully, at that moment the lunch bell rang, and the thundering of hundreds of students could be heard in the hallways. The principle sighed.

"Alright, just get out of here," she said, waving them towards the door. They didn't need to be told twice. Once free of the office, Hitsugaya turned to Karin.

"Thanks," he said gratefully. Karin chuckled.

"No problem. Now, I would love to hear how you got yourself into that mess." Hitsugaya told her what had happened between him and the janitor as they headed outside. Karin was in hysterics.

"I can't believe he thought you were a student! He's such an idiot, we all hate him."

"I can see why," Hitsugaya said sourly.

"Now, Toushiro," she said suspiciously. "How about you tell me why you were hanging out in front of my school in the first place." Hitsugaya froze. He had forgotten that part. Walking and talking with Karin had seemed so natural that he had overlooked the fact that he really didn't know what she actually thought of him. He took a deep breath.

"Karin, I…" he began.

"Look," she interrupted, "if you came to thank me, forget it. I don't need to hear it. I helped because I wanted to. You're not the kind of sappy person who likes to gush over thank you's and I don't want you to try. I…" she wavered over whether or not she should say what she wanted to say, but decided that there was nothing to lose.

"I like you the way you are. So don't ever change, ok?" Hitsugaya was taken aback slightly by her words. He considered his response carefully.

"Actually," he said, something vaguely resembling a smile crossing his lips, "that wasn't what I was going to say."

"Oh?" she teased. "Then what were you going to say?" Hitsugaya opened his mouth, then promptly closed it again. He could never remember being this nervous. He could never remember actually being nervous before. Hitsugaya dropped his eyes, as did Karin. If they had been looking at each other, they would have noticed that they had identical expressions on their faces.

"Toushiro," Karin said sheepishly.

"Karin, I…" Hitsugaya began.

"I think I love you!" they both cried at the same time. Their eyes widened in disbelief.

"You do?" they said, still in unison.

"Ok, now that's creepy," Karin said in amusement, smiling broadly. Hitsugaya was still in shock, absorbing what she had just said. She loved him too?! They stood there for a moment in awkward silence. Finally, Karin said impatiently.

"So, do we kiss or not?" Hitsugaya was jolted back to reality. Hard. He looked at her, and his face broke into the first real smile it had ever worn.

"Yeah," he agreed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close to him. "I guess we do."

**It's not over yet, so don't go anywhere!**


	11. Epilogue

**Last chapter!**

**And SHIROUchan44, I would love to do a collaboration with you! I think that would be fun. What did you have in mind?**

"That's it!" Karin cried, grabbing her four year old daughter by the waist. "We are getting that senkai gate _out_ of this kitchen. That's the third time this month you almost walked though it!"

"But Kasan!" the raven haired girl whined. "I want to go see Tousan!"

"Masaki-chan," Karin said sweetly. "Tousan should be home soon. You can wait until then, ok?" Masaki looked at Karin, her startling emerald eyes sparking.

"Ok!" she said brightly. Karin smiled at her and pinched her nose. Masaki giggled. As if in response to their conversation, the doors of the senkai gate opened and Hitsugaya stepped out.

"Tousan!" Masaki said gleefully, slipping from her mother's grasp to run into her father's outstretched arms.

"Hey, Masaki-chan!" he said happily, lifting her over his head. "Were you a good girl today?"

"She almost went through the gate again," Karin tattled. "We are putting it back into the shed!" Hitsugaya shook his head.

"We can't do that. Don't you remember why we moved it out of there in the first place?" Karin shuttered at the memory of the neighbor's boy, curiosity over the locked shed getting the better of him, almost getting trapped inside the space between the two worlds. Which was the reason why they had the unsightly gate in their kitchen in the first place. At least if Masaki walked through, she had enough reiatsu that a hell butterfly would join her and lead her to Soul Society. She was after all, three quarters taicho class shinigami. Someone in Soul Society would bring her home, everyone knew who she was. But the neighbor's boy would die in the inter-space.

"All right, fine!" Karin conceded. Hitsugaya grinned slightly, he was doing that more often these days, and came up to Karin expectantly.

"No," she reprimanded. "You know the rules. You don't get a kiss until you're in your gigai. I'm not kissing a fifteen year old! I'm not a child molester." Hitsugaya scoffed.

"I'm a hundred and eight years old, so that makes you a gold digger!" he retorted. Karin laughed.

"How many hundred and eight year olds do you know with four year old daughters?" she teased. Hitsugaya looked at his daughter who was hiding under his captain's haori and giggling mischievously.

"Good point," he said. "Alright, I'll put it on." Hitsugaya's gigai had been a present from Urahara years ago, long before Karin and Hitsugaya even started thinking about marriage. As Karin grew older, Hitsugaya didn't, and she felt more and more awkward being seen with him, even though she would never admit it. And her friends had started asking weird questions. So Urahara, who was extremely perceptive and very aware of her predicament, had created a gigai for Hitsugaya that aged like a normal human. It took Hitsugaya a while to get used to the height difference, but now he moved around in it as naturally as his own body.

Donning in his gigai and looking quite a bit older than fifteen because of it, Hitsugaya returned to Karin's side.

"Is this better?" he asked.

"Much!" she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him in for a kiss.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

That night at dinner, Masaki asked a question she had never asked before.

"Tousan, Kasan," she said in her sweet little voice, "how did you meet?" Hitsugaya and Karin looked at each other.

"We actually met over a soccer ball," Karin explained. "I had a big game coming up and your Tousan was kind enough to help me." Masaki giggled.

"And how did you fall in love?" she asked, bouncing up and down giddily.

"Well," Hitsugaya said, looking at Karin affectionately. "It all started with a story."

**The End!**

**Well, it's been a lot of fun. I think I had more fun writing this story than any of the others. Thanks so much for everyone who reviewed, you guys totally make my day! It makes me so happy every time I check and have all these amazing reviews! Be on the lookout for a story featuring all **_**your**_** ideas! It should be up really soon (like in the next day or so, I've got most of the first chapter already, but I just have to make sure it doesn't sound too stupid!) Thanks for sticking with me! I love you all!**


	12. Author's Note

**To all my beloved readers:**

**Just to let you know, I wrote a one-shot sequel about Masaki, Hitsugaya and Karin's daughter. It is called "The Girl Next Door." So, if you liked this story, then that is kind of a continuation. If you want another sequel, then read and review that one. I'll base my decision on whether or not I'll write more on your responses. Thanks for sticking with me!**

**-GrnEydDvl**


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